The Hot Springs star. (Hot Spings [Hot Springs], Dakota [Dakota Territory, i.e. S.D.]) 1886-189?, 1887-11-18

SAe mounted INC ualS anu Snt down upon
the chair, and spoke to me in Greek-Isup-
pose because she did not wish those pres
n to understand what slio said.
Come hithcr, Holly" she said, land sit
at my feet. n see me do Justice on those
who would have slain thee. Forgive me
u my Greek doth halt like q lame man; it
y so long since 1 have heard the sound Of
1t that my tongue is stiff, and willnot bend
to the words"
Ibowed, and mounting the dais, satdown
at her feet.
'tHow didst thou sleep. nv Holly,n aha
asked.
81 slept not we'll, oh, Ayesha," I an
swered. with perfect truth, and with an In
ward fear that perhaps she knew how I
had passed the heart of the night.
49," she said, with a little laugh, 81.
90, have not slept well. Last night I had
lreGins, and mctllinlss that thou didst call
Mem to me, Oil, Holly"
"Of what didst thou dream, Ayeshain I
1sked, indiferently.
"Idreamed," she answered, quickly. "of
mi I hate and one 1 love;'' and then, as
though to turn the conversation, she adj
dressed the captain of her guard in Arabic
-"Let the men be brought before me-"
The captain bowed low-for the guard
and her attendants did not PROSTATE them
selves, u had remained standing-and
departed with his undcrlings down a pas
sage to the right.
Then came a silence. She leaned her
swathed head upon her hand, and appeare1
TO be lost in thought, while tho multitude
before her continued to grovcl upon their
stomachs, only screwing their heads round
little so asto get a view of us with ono
eye. 1t seemed that their queen so rarely
appeared in public that they were willing
to undergo this Inconvenience, and even
graver risks, to have the opportunity Of
looking on her-or rather on her garments.
for no living man there except myself had
ever seen her face. AT last we caught
sight of the waving of lights, and heard
the tramp Of men coming along the pas
sage, and in filed the guard, and with them
the survivors of our would-be murdcrers.
TO the number of a score ormore, on whose
countenances the natural expression of
~salenness struggled with the terror that
evidently filled their savage hearts. They
were ranged in front of the dais, and would
nave cast themselves down on the floor of
the cave, like the spectators, but She stop-
ped them.
"Nay," she said, in her softest voice.
"stand; I pray yc stand. Perchance tho
time will soon be when ye shall grow weary
of being stretched out;' and she laughed
mclodiously.
Isaw n cringe Of terror run along the
rank of the poor doomed wretches, and.
wicked villains as they were, 1 felt sorry
for them. Some minutes. perhaps two OF
three, passed before anything fresh oc-
Cured, during which She appeared, from
the movement of her head-for, of course.
we could not sec her cycs-to be slowly
and carefully examining each delinquent.
At last she spoke, addressing herself tome
in a quiet and deliberate tone.
"Dost thou, oh my guest, who art known
In thy country by the name of the Prickly
Tree, recognize these men?"
"Ay, oh, queen, nearly all of them" I
said; and l saw them glover at me as Isaid
It.
"Then tell mo and this company the tale
whereof I have heard"
Thus adjured, I, in as few words as
could, related the history of the cannibal
feast, and of the attempted torture Of oul
poor servant. The narrative was reject ed
in perfect silence, both by the accJs4d and
BY the autitencaQp9 also hy eel1
Wllen.I had done, Ayesha ulldo dpd
Mtby name, and lifting his head from I'll,
grUshd, but without rising, the old mnr
confirmed my story. No further evidenc,
was taken.
Eye have HEARD said She at length, II
ecold, clear voice, very different from hel
. tones: indeed. It VII; one Of the mos,
remarkable things aboutt this extraordinary,
creature that her voice had the power O
suiting itself in e wonderful mannerto tn,
mood of the moment. "What have ye t.
say, ye rcbellious children, why vengeanc,
should not be done upon YEP"
For some time there was no answer, bu
at last one Of the men, q fine broad-chestet
fellow, well on in middle life, with deep
I craven features, and with IN eye like
hawks, spoke, and said that the order
that they had received were not to harm
the white men; nothing was said of thei
black servant, 80, egged on thereto by
&, woman who was nowdead, they proceeded
Il to try to hot-pot him after the ancient ant
''nnor"hle custom Of their country, with
view Of eating him in due course. As 10
their attack upon ourselves, it was mad,
in an access of sudden fury. and they deep
Aegretted it. He ended by humbly pray
Ing that mercy might be extended to them
OF at least that they might be banishe'
into, the swamps to live or die az 1t nigh
chance; but / saw on his face that he ha'
but little hope Of mercy.
The1ccame a pause. and the mostintons
sIlence rejgned over the whole scene
which, illuminated as 1t was by the flick
ering lamps Tint struck ont broad pattern
Of light and shadow upon the rocky walls
was as strange an n as l ever saw, eve
IN that weird,land. There, seated In he
bazbazic chair above them all, with mysel